Improvement in knife and fork cleaners



J. L. HANNUM.

Knife and Fork Cleaners. I

N0. 133,367. Patented Nov'.'26,1872..

WiINEEEEE. V INVENTEIR,

AM PHDTO-L/THOGRAPHIC CllMY/OSBORNES PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT, Orrrcn.

JOSEPH L. HANNUM, or BEREA, oHro.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNIFE AND FORK CLEANERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,367, dated November 26, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH L. HANNUM, of Berea, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Securing-Box for Knives and Forks; and I do hereby declare that the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being bad to the accompanying drawin g and to the letters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in the construction of a box provided with suitable rests, to be used in cleaning knives and forks, and in which the cleaning material and rags or pads can always be kept, and which can be used in any place without liability of making dirt. The usual kit used for this purpose consists of a piece of board, a rag, pad, or piece of cork, and a quantity of brickdust, and is always a dirty, disagreeable object. In using it there will always be more or less dirt made, and when set away is always in danger of having the dust swept off by any object passing over or near it.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of the same.

a a are the two halves of a box hinged to- I gether in the usual manner, which box should be about ten or twelve inches long, six or eight inches wide, and five or six inches deep. ln each half there is placed a resting block, 1), upon which the knife or fork is supported while being cleaned, and may be just flush with and on a plane with the top of the box, or it may extend up above the surface and have a slantin g edge, as shown in the drawing. If desired, instead of having the rests secured rigidly to the bottom of the box, one or both may have one of their ends hinged and a guide, 0, upon each side provided with a set-screw, d, so that they may be raised and set at any desired angle; or, instead of the set-screw, a small wedge-shaped block may be inserted under it, which will serve the same purpose, as shown in Fig. 2. These boxes may have only a single rest, but as in hotels, boarding-houses, and large families there are large numbers of knives and forks to be cleaned, they will be found most convenient and useful when provided with two, having their inclosed edges set in opposite directions, so that two persons can work at the same time. As the constant friction of the cleaning material would eventually wear away more or less of the rests, I place a sheet of any suitable metal upon their tops, so as to protect them. The sand or brickdust, and the rags, corks, or pads for cleaning, will always be kept in the box, and can be used in almost any place with perfect safety as to dirt and dust, besides being so convenient-and handy for use.

It is evident that slight immaterial changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and for which I desire to se cure Letters Patent, is

1. The adjustable rest I), when so arranged that it can be set at any desired angle, sub stantially as specified.

2. The combination of the box a, rest I),

guide 0, and set-screw or Wedge, when all are combined to operate substantially as set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 1st day of November, 1872.

JOSEPH L. HANNUM. [L. 5.]

. Witnesses:

J. M. WATSON, I WILLIAM OARMAN. 

